South Carolina @ Georgia preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 21, 2018 ) Georgia 57, South Carolina 66

South Carolina heads to Georgia on Saturday in a matchup of two teams who have each split their opening 20 games of the season, but the similarities end when looking at SEC play. The Gamecocks won five of their opening six conference games this season and, even with Tuesday’s loss to top-ranked Tennessee, sit just two games out of first place in the league, while the Bulldogs have won just once in SEC action and sit in a three-way logjam for 11th.

The Bulldogs hoped to get a boost from scoring 98 points in a victory over Texas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge last weekend, but they shot a season-worst 29.2 percent from the field with 16 turnovers and missed nearly as many free throws (14) as they made (15) in Tuesday’s 70-60 loss at Arkansas. “I’m not disappointed in our effort and our desire was good,” Georgia coach Tom Crean told the media postgame. “What we didn’t do well was execute.” The Gamecocks got another outstanding effort from senior forward Chris Silva (28 points, 10 rebounds) against Tennessee, but South Carolina missed 14 of its final 18 shots in a 92-70 home defeat. “He was in a street fight all by himself,” South Carolina coach Frank Martin told reporters. “No one helped him.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (10-10, 5-2 SEC): Silva, the Gamecocks’ leading scorer at 13.9 points per game, scored 22 points in the first half Tuesday and has reached double figures in 11 of his past 13 games. Senior guard Hassani Gravett is second on the team in scoring in conference games at 13.4 points per contest, shooting 41.8 percent from 3-point range in league play. South Carolina is 13th in the SEC and 302nd nationally in 3-point shooting, making just 31.4 percent of its attempts.

ABOUT GEORGIA (10-10, 1-6): The Bulldogs have dropped five consecutive league games and were manhandled inside against Arkansas, giving up 54 rebounds and having 14 shots blocked. Sophomore forward Nicolas Claxton, who scored 14 points Tuesday, continues leading the SEC in rebounds per game (9.3) and blocked shots per contest (2.85). Senior forward Derek Ogbeide also scored 14 points Tuesday, his second 14-point output in his past three games.

TIP-INS

1. Silva, who ranks 10th in the SEC in rebounding (7.1 per game), is the only player in program history to make 500 or more free throws (511) and record 700-plus rebounds (774).

2. Saturday’s matchup pits the two teams allowing the most points per game in the SEC, as South Carolina is 13th at 73.7 and Georgia is last at 74.

3. Georgia sophomore F Rayshaun Hammonds leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 13 points per game, but in three SEC games, he has scored eight points or fewer.

PREDICTION: South Carolina 77, Georgia 73